Star Wars 5: Buffy and the Empire Strikes Back
by APhantasm
Summary: This is the 5th story in my Star Wars: Buffy and Dawn Series, and sequel to my Buffy and A New Hope. You might want to read my first four stories in this series before you start on this one as some things might make more sense. A/U story set in Star Wars Universe. Takes place after BTVS Season 5 - Season Finale (The Gift), and during Star Wars Episode 5: Empire Strikes Back
1. Chapter 1: Wampa

**Summary**: This is the 5th story in my Star Wars: Buffy and Dawn Series, and sequel to my Buffy and A New Hope. You might want to read my first four stories in this series before you start on this one as some things might make more sense.

A/U story set in Star Wars Universe. Takes place after BTVS Season 5 - Season Finale (The Gift), and during Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back

No Pairings.

**Disclaimer: **I will say this only once as I don't want to repeat myself every time I post a chapter. I do not own either Star Wars or Buffy. Joss Whedon owns Buffy. Star Wars is owned by George Lucas (or is it Disney now)

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**Chapter 1: Wampa**

"NOW this is what I call cold!" Luke Skywalker's voice broke the silence he and Aurora had observed since they left the Rebel base hours earlier.

Aurora nods, "Agreed, Luke. The quicker we get back to base the better."

"The galaxy is peppered with settlements of colonizers who care little about the affairs of the Empire or its opposition, the Rebel Alliance," Luke said. "But a settler would have to be crazy to stake his claims on Hoth. This planet doesn't have a thing to offer anyone - except us."

Aurora sighs, "I think Aunt Buffy and mom were crazy for picking this planet."

Luke nods thinking back to when he an Aurora had first met Buffy Naberrie and Dawn Skywalker. "Yeah sometimes I do wonder about our family. We should get back to our patrol."

Aurora nods in agreement, "Yeah the quicker we get done the quicker we get back."

Luke spurred his Tauntaun. "Come on, girl," he urged. He shivered as he looked at the long shadow he and the beast cast on the snow. "The winds are picking up," Luke said. "And these chilling winds bring unendurable temperatures to the plains after nightfall." He was tempted to return to the base a little early, but he knew the importance of establishing the certainty that the Rebels were alone on Hoth.

Aurora's Tauntaun quickly turned to the right, almost throwing her off-balance. She was still getting used to riding the unpredictable creatures. "No offense," she said to her mount, "but I'd feel a lot more at ease on my old reliable speeder bike."

Luke nods in agreement, "Yeah your bike or my landspeeder would be better. But we sold them before we left Tatooine."

When Luke and Aurora reached the top of another ice slope, they brought the animals to halt. Aurora pulled off her dark-lensed goggles and squinted for a few moments, just long enough for her eyes to adjust to the blinding glare of the snow.

Suddenly her attention was diverted by the appearance of an object streaking across the sky, leaving behind a lingering trail of smoke as it dipped toward the misty horizon. Aurora flashed her gloved hand to her utility belt and clutched her pair of electrobinoculars. Apprehensive, she felt a chill that competed with the coldness of the Hoth atmosphere. What she had seen could have been man-made, perhaps even something launched by the Empire. She focused on the object, followed its fiery course and watched intently as it crashed on the white ground and was consumed in its own explosive brilliance.

At the sound of the explosion, Their Tauntauns shuddered. A fearful growl escaped its muzzle and it began to claw nervously at the snow. Luke patted the animal's head, trying to reassure the beast. He found it difficult to hear himself over the blustering wind. "Easy, girl, it's just another meteorite!" he shouted.

Aurora nods, "I want to check that out, just to be on the safe side."

Luke nods as his Tauntain calmed and he brought the communicator to his mouth. "Echo Three and Four to Echo Seven. Han ol' buddy, do you read me?"

Static crackled from the receiver. Then a familiar voice cut through the interference. "Is that you, kid? What's up?"

The voice sounded a little older and somewhat sharper than Luke's. For a moment Luke fondly recalled first meeting the Corellian space smuggler in that dark, alien-packed cantina at a spaceport on Tatooine. And now he was one of Luke's only friends who was not an official member of the Rebel Alliance.

"We've finished our circle and we haven't picked up any life readings," Luke spoke into his comlink, pressing his mouth close to the transmitter.

"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser," Han answered, fighting to make his voice heard above the whistling winds. "My sentry markers are placed. I'm heading back to base."

"See you shortly," Luke replied. Aurora still had her eye on the twisting column of dark smoke rising from a black spot in the distance. "A meteorite just hit the ground near here and Aurora wants to check it out. We won't be long."

"Tell my sister to be careful." Han replied.

Aurora grabbed the comlink from Luke, "Always am, big brother." She clicked the comlink off before handing it back to Luke.

They turned their attention to the Tauntauns. The reptilian creatures were pacing, shifting they weight from one foot to the other. They gave out a deep-throated roar that seemed to signal fear.

"Whoa, girl!" Luke said, patting his Tauntaun's head. "What's the matter ... you smell something? There's nothing out there."

But Luke and Aurora, both, were beginning to feel uneasy, for the first time since they had set out from the hidden Rebel base. If they knew anything about these snowlizards, it was that their senses were keen. Without question the animal was trying to tell Luke that something, some danger, was near.

Not wasting a moment, Luke removed a small object from his utility belt and adjusted its miniature controls. The device was sensitive enough to zero in on even the most minute life readings by detecting body temperature and internal life systems. But as Luke began to scan the readings, he realized there was no need -or time - to continue.

Aurora shakes her head, "Anything?"

A shadow crossed over them, towering above by a good meter and a half. Luke and Aurora spun around and suddenly it seemed as if the terrain itself had come to life. A great white-furred bulk, perfectly camouflaged against the sprawling mounds of snow, rushed savagely at them.

"Son of a jumpin'..." Luke's hand blaster never cleared its holster. The huge claw of the Wampa Ice Creature struck him hard and flat against his face, knocking him off the Tauntaun and into the freezing snow. Aurora was beginning to reach for her lightsaber when she too was knocked off the tauntaun into the snow.

Unconsciousness came swiftly to Luke and Aurora, so swiftly that they never even heard the pitiful screams of the Tauntauns nor the abrupt silence following the sound of a snapping neck. And they never felt their own ankles savagely gripped by their giant, hairy attacker, or felt their body dragged like a lifeless doll across the snow-covered plain.

At the Rebel Base Dawn Skywalker stood in the command center. Next to her stood General Rieekan as they stared at a computer screen flashing brilliantly colored readouts.

Han stepped up beside them and they turn around. Dawn smiled at Han giving him a hug before stepping back. Han simply smiled; he knew Dawn had been his father's fiancée. But it was still weird to him to be that intimate with her with her age being near his. He turned to Rieekan, "General, there isn't a hint of life in the area," Han reported. "But all the perimeter markings are set, so you'll know if anyone comes calling."

"Has Commander Skywalker or Padawan Skywalker reported in yet?" the general inquired.

"They're checking out a meteorite that hit near him," Han answered looking at Dawn, knowing she was worried about Aurora. "They'll be in soon."

Dawn smiles and nods.

Rieekan quickly glanced at a newly installed radar screen and studied the flashing images. "With all the meteor activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships."

"General, Dawn… I ..." Han hesitated. "I think it's time for me to move on."

Han's attention was drawn from General Rieekan and Dawn to a steadily approaching figure. Her walk was both graceful and determined, and somehow the young woman's feminine features seemed incongruous with her white combat uniform. Even at this distance, Han could tell Princess Leia was upset.

"You're good in a fight," the general remarked to Han, adding, "I hate to lose you."

Dawn smiles, "I have to agree for different reasons of course. We just found each other Han and here you want to leave…"

Han smiled at Dawn, "I know Dawn. But there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt, I'm a walking dead man."

"A death mark is not an easy thing to live with..." Rieekan began as Han turned to Princess Leia. Solo was not a sentimental sort, but he was aware that he was very emotional now. "I guess this is it, Your Highness." He paused, not knowing what response to expect from the princess.

"That's right," Leia replied coldly. Her sudden aloofness was quickly evolving into genuine anger.

Dawn shook her head listening to Han.

"Well," Han said, "don't go all mushy on me. So long, Princess."

Abruptly turning his back to her, Han strode into the quiet corridor that connected with the command center.

Dawn watched them leave turning back to Riekkan, "How much advanced warning will we have if the Empire shows up here?"

Rieekan smiles, "Master Jedi we will have enough warning to prepare to evacuate. The question will be can we? You and Master Naberrie chose this planet because it's remote. Without the support of the fleet we will have to rely on the ion cannon to help make out escape."

Somewhere on Hoth in an ice cave the roars of the Wampa Ice Creature finally awakened Luke and Aurora.

Luke's head was spinning, aching, perhaps exploding for all he could tell. With painstaking effort he brought his vision into focus, discerning that he was in an ice gorge, its jagged walls reflecting the fading twilight.

He suddenly realized he was hanging upside down, arms dangling and fingertips some thirty centimeters from the snowy floor. His ankles were numb. He craned his neck and saw that his feet were frozen in ice hanging from the ceiling and that the ice was forming on his legs like stalactites. He could feel the frozen mask of his own blood caked on his face where the Wampa Ice Creature had viciously slashed him.

Luke turned to face Aurora seeing she was in a similar situation, "Are you alright?"

Aurora nods, "Other than being upside down, yeah." They heard the bestial moans, louder now as they resounded through the deep and narrow passageway of ice. The roars of the monster were deafening. "We've got to free ourselves get free of this ice."

Luke nods strength had not yet returned fully, but with a determined effort, he pulled himself up and reached for the confining bonds. Still too weak, Luke could not break the ice and fell back into his hanging position, the white floor rushing up at him. "Relax," he said to himself. "Relax."

The ice walls creaked with the ever-louder bellows of the approaching creature. Its feet crunched on the frigid ground, coming frighteningly nearer. It would not be long before the shaggy white horror would be back and possibly warming the cold young warrior in the darkness of its belly.

Luke's eyes darted about the gorge, finally spotting the pile of gear they had brought with them on their mission, now lying in a useless, crumpled heap on the floor. The equipment was nearly a full, unattainable meter beyond his grasp. "Can you reach your or my lightsaber?"

Aurora shook her head, "No."

In desperation Luke tried twisting his aching body, just enough to reach the discarded lightsaber. But the freezing cold coursing through his body slowed him down and weakened him. Luke was beginning to resign himself to his fate as he heard the snarling Wampa Ice Creature approaching. His last feelings of hope were nearly gone when he sensed the presence.

But it was not the presence of the white giant that dominated this gorge.

Rather, it was that soothing spiritual presence which occasionally visited Luke in moments of stress or danger. The presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Luke. Think of the lightsaber in your hand."

Luke looked to Aurora who nodded hearing the voice also. His eyes fixed upon the lightsaber. His hand reached out painfully, the freezing in his limbs already taking its toll. He squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. But the weapon was still beyond his reach. He knew that the lightsaber would require more than just struggling to reach. "Gotta relax," Luke told himself, "relax ..."

Luke's mind whirled as he heard the words of his disembodied guardian. "Let the Force flow, Luke."

Luke saw the inverted gorillalike image of the Wampa Ice Creature looming, its raised arms ending in enormous gleaming claws. He could see the apish face for the first time now, and shivered at the sight of the beast's ramlike horns, the quivering lower jaw with its protruding fangs.

Aurora reached out her hand and closed her eyes.

The Wampa Ice Creature spread its black, hooked claws and lumbered toward the hanging youths. Suddenly the lightsaber, as if by magic, sprang to Luke's hand. At the same time Aurora's sprang to her hand. Instantly, they depressed a colored button on the weapon, releasing a bladelike beam that quickly severed their icy bonds.

As Luke, weapon in hand, dropped to the floor, the monstrous figure towering over him took a cautious step backward. The beast's sulfurous eyes blinked incredulously at the humming lightsaber, a sight baffling to its primitive brain.

Aurora jumped to her feet she brought the weapon down cutting through the Wampa's arm. The Wampa Ice Creature shrieked, its hideous roar of agony shaking the gorge walls. It turned and hastily lumbered out of the gorge, its white bulk blending with the distant terrain.

They made their way out of the cave and hopefully towards the rebel base.

In the subsurface main hangar dock, Chewie was getting the Millennium Falcon ready for takeoff. He looked up from his work to see Buffy, Threepio and Artoo enter the hanger.

Buffy sighed as she listened to the two droids banter.

"It is not my fault, you malfunctioning tin can," Threepio stated, gesturing with a metallic hand. "I did not ask you to turn on the thermal heater. I merely commented that it was freezing in her chamber. But it's supposed to be freezing. How are we going to get all her things dried out?... Ah! Here we are."

Threepio paused to focus his optical sensors on the docked Millennium Falcon. Artoo stopped beside him.

Buffy smiled, "Han. Might I have a word with you?"

Han was not particularly in a mood to be disturbed, especially by this fastidious droid. "Buffy What is it?"

"Mistress Leia has been trying to reach you on the communicator," Threepio informed him. "It must be malfunctioning."

"I shut it off," he said sharply as he continued to work on his ship. "What does her royal holiness want?"

Buffy sighs, "She and Dawn are looking for Luke and Aurora and Leia assumed he would be here with you. No one seems to know-'Aurora and Luke's not back yet?' Immediately Han became concerned. He could see that the sky beyond the ice cavern entrance had grown considerably darker since he and Chewbacca had begun to repair the Millennium Falcon. Han knew just how severely the temperatures dropped on the surface after nightfall and how deadly the winds could be.

In a flash he jumped off the Falcon's lift, not even looking back toward the Wookiee. "Bolt it down, Chewie. Officer of the Deck!" Han yelled, then brought his comlink to his mouth and asked, "Security Control, has Commander or Padawan Skywalker reported in yet?' A negative reply brought a scowl to Han's face.

The deck sergeant and his aide hurried up to Solo in response to his summons.

"Is Commander or Padawan Skywalker back yet?" Han asked, tension in his voice.

"I haven't seen them," the deck sergeant replied. "It's possible they came in through the south entrance."

"Check on it!" Solo snapped, though he was not in an official position to give commands. "It's urgent." He turned to Buffy seeing the worry on her face. "We'll find out. And if we have to we'll go out after them."

As the deck sergeant and his aide turned and rushed down the corridor, Artoo emitted a concerned whistle that rose inquiringly in pitch.

"I don't know, Artoo," Threepio answered, stiffly turning his upper torso and head in Han's direction. "Sir, might I inquire what's going on?"

Anger welled up inside Han as he grunted back at the robot, "Go tell your precious princess that Luke is dead unless he shows up soon."

Artoo began to whistle hysterically at Solo's grim prediction and his now-frightened golden partner exclaimed, "Oh, no!"

The main tunnel was filled with activity when Buffy and Han rushed in. They saw a pair of Rebel troopers employing all their physical strength to restrain a nervous Tauntaun that was trying to break free.

From the opposite end, the deck officer rushed into the corridor, his eyes darting around the chamber until he had spotted Han. "Sir, Master Jedi," he said frantically, "Commander and Padawan Skywalker haven't come through the south entrance. They might have forgotten to check in."

"Not likely," Buffy snapped. "Are the speeders ready?"

"Not yet, Master Jedi," the deck officer answered. "Adapting them to the cold is proving difficult. Maybe by morning…"

Han cut him off. There wasn't any time to waste on machines that could and probably would break down. "We'll have to go out on Tauntauns. I'll take sector four."

Buffy nods, "I will go with Han."

"The temperature is falling too rapidly." The deck officer replied.

"You bet it is," Han growled, "and Luke and my sister are out in it."

The other officer volunteered, "I'll cover sector twelve. Have control set screen alpha."

Han and Buffy pushed their way through the assemblage of Rebel troops and took the reins of two of the trained Tauntauns, leaping onto the creature's backs.

"The night storms will start before any of you can reach the first marker," the deck officer warned.

"Then we'll see you in hell," grunted Han, tugging the reins of his mount and maneuvering the animal out of the cave.

Buffy nods, "May the Force be with us."

Snow was falling heavily as Han and Buffy raced their Tauntauns through the wilderness. Night was near and the winds were howling fiercely, piercing their heavy clothes. They knew that they would be as useless as an icicle to Luke and Aurora unless he found the young warrior soon.

The Tauntauns were already feeling the effects of the temperature drop. Not even the layers of insulating fat or the matted gray fur could protect them from the elements after nightfall. Already the beasts were wheezing, their breathing becoming increasingly labored.

Han prayed that the snow-lizard wouldn't drop, at least not until he had located Luke. He drove his mount harder, forcing it on across the icy plains.

The Tauntaun was racing at maximum speed, certainly too fast considering the distance it had traveled and the unbearable frigid air. No longer wheezing, it had begun moaning pitifully, and its legs were becoming more and more unsteady. Han felt sorry about the Tauntaun's pain, but at present the creature's life was only secondary to that of his friend Luke.

It was becoming difficult for Han and Buffy to see through the thickening snowfall. Desperate, they searched for some interruption in the eternal plains, some distant spot that might actually be Luke or Aurora. But there was nothing to see other than the darkening expanses of snow and ice.

Yet there was a sound.

Han drew the reins in, bringing the Tauntaun to an abrupt halt on the plain.

Buffy pulled up beside him, "Do you hear something?"

Han could not be certain, but there seemed to be some sound other than the howling of the winds that whipped past him. He strained to look in the direction of the sound. "I don't know, Buffy." He spurred his Tauntaun, forcing it to gallop across the snow-swept field.

Buffy a moment later spurred hers on as well.

It took all of Luke and Aurora's remaining strength to drag themselves a half meter before finally collapsing, sinking into the ever-deepening drifts. "I can't..." Luke said. He looked at his cousin for a moment. She was barely conscious.

"You must." Words vibrated in Luke's mind. "Luke, look at me!"

Luke could not ignore that command; the power of those softly spoken words was too great.

With a great effort, Luke lifted his head and saw what he thought was a hallucination. In front of him, apparently unaffected by the cold and still clad only in the shabby robes he had worn in the hot desert of Tatooine, stood Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Luke wanted to call out to him, but he was speechless.

The apparition spoke with the same gentle authority Obi-Wan had always used with the young man. "You and Aurora must survive, Luke."

Aurora muttered, "I'm cold... so cold ..."

"Luke, you must go to the Dagobah system," the spectral figure of Ben Kenobi instructed. "You will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master."

Luke listened, then reached to touch the ghostly figure. "Ben ... Ben..." he groaned.

The figure remained unmoved by Luke's efforts to reach it. "Luke you and your cousin," it spoke again, "are our only hope."

Luke was confused. Yet before he could gather the strength to ask for an explanation, the figure began to fade. And when every trace of the apparition had passed from his sight, Luke thought he saw the approach of two Tauntauns with human riders on their backs.

In desperation Luke called out, "Ben?!" before again dropping off into unconsciousness. He was joined shortly thereafter by Aurora.

A moment later Han and Buffy brought their Tauntauns to a stop next to Aurora and Luke.

Han looked with horror at the snow-covered, almost frozen forms lying as if dead at his feet. "Come on, buddy," he appealed to Luke's inert figure, immediately forgetting his own nearly frozen body, "you aren't dead yet. Give me a signal here."

Buffy looked at her niece and closed her eyes trying to sense Luke and Aurora in the Force. She smiled, "Their alive."

Luke confirmed Buffy's statement with a low moan, barely audible over the winds. Han grinned with relief. "I knew you wouldn't leave me!" He turned to Buffy, "We've got to get them out of here."

Buffy nods turning back towards the Tauntauns and watched as not one but both of the Tauntauns gave an agonized roar, and then fell into a shaggy gray heap on the snow. The Tauntauns made one final sound, not a roar or bellow but only a sickly rasp. Then the beasts were silent.

Solo gripped the Tauntaun's hide, his numbed fingers searching for even the slightest indication of life. "Deader than a Triton moon," he said. "We haven't got much time."

Buffy nodded as she pulled out her lightsaber, "Get started on the shelter. I will cut open the Tauntauns and slide Luke and Aurora in one each. It won't smell good but it will keep them warm while we get the shelter setup." She ignited her lightsaber and the silver blade snapped into existence.

Han nodded, "Sounds like a plan." His freezing hands went to the supply pack strapped to the Tauntaun's back and rummaged through the Rebel-issue items until he located the shelter container. Before unpacking it, he spoke into his comlink. "Echo Base, do you copy?" No response. "This comlink is useless!"

Buffy sighed, "It could be the storm. Once it's over we might be able to get a signal."

"If I don't get this shelter up fast," Han grumbled to himself, "Jabba won't need those bounty hunters."

Buffy simply smiled.


	2. Chapter 2: Found

**Chapter 2: Found**

Artoo stood just outside the entrance to the secret Rebel ice hangar, dusted with a layer of snow that had settled over his plug-shaped body. His inner timing mechanisms knew he had waited here a long time and his optical sensors told him that the sky was dark.

But the R2 unit was concerned only with his built-in probe-sensors that were still sending signals across the ice fields. His long and earnest sensorsearch for the missing Luke Skywalker and Han Solo had not turned up a thing.

The stout droid began beeping nervously when Threepio approached him, plodding stiffly through the snow.

'Artoo,' the gold-colored robot inclined the upper half of his form at the hip joints, 'there's nothing more you can do. You must come inside.' Threepio straightened to his full height again, simulating a human shiver as the night winds howled past his gleaming hull. 'Artoo, my joints are freezing up. Will you hurry ... please?...' But before he could finish his own sentence, Threepio was hurrying back toward the hangar entrance.

Leia and Dawn stood inside the Rebel base entrance, the both of them maintaining a worried vigil. They shivered in the night wind as they tried to see into the Hoth darkness. Waiting near a deeply concerned Major Derlin, their minds was somewhere out on the ice fields.

Chewie sat nearby, his maned head lifting quickly from his hairy hands as the two droids Threepio and Artoo reentered the hangar.

Threepio was humanly distraught. "Artoo has not been able to pick up any signals," he reported, fretting, "although he feels his range is probably too limited to cause us to give up hope." Still, very little confidence could be detected in Threepio's artificial voice.

Dawn sighed, "Thank you Threepio."

As Dawn and Lei kept watch, Major Derlin turned to acknowledge a Rebel lieutenant reporting in. "All patrols are now in except Solo, Master Naberrie, Commander Skywalker and Padawan Skywalker, sir."

The major looked over at Dawn and Leia. "Your Highness… Master Jedi," he said, his voice weighty with regret, "nothing more can be done tonight. The temperature is dropping fast. The shield doors must be closed. I'm sorry."

Dawn sighed and nods, "Very well Major. Close the doors."

Chewie let out mournful howl of grief.

Dawn reached out into the Force trying find Buffy through their Force Bond. She could feel her sister was still alive. She just hoped that she and Han had found Luke and Aurora and that they would be alright till morning.

"The speeders should be ready in the morning," the major said. "They'll make the search easier."

Not really expecting an affirmative reply, Leia asked, "Is there any chance of their surviving until morning?"

"Slim," Major Derlin answered with grim honesty. "But yes, there's a chance."

In response to the major's words, Artoo began to operate the miniature computers inside his barrellike metal body, taking only moments to juggle numerous sets of mathematical computations, and climaxing his figurings with a series of triumphant beeps.

"Master Skywalker, Mistress Leia," Threepio interpreted, "Artoo says the chances against survival are seven hundred twenty-five to one." Then, tilting toward the shorter robot, the protocol droid grumbled, "Actually, I don't think we needed to know that."

Dawn sighed, "Thank you Threepio." She turned to Leia, "They will come back. If it's one thing about my sister, she doesn't know how to give up."

Leia smiled, "I hope your right Master Skywalker… Dawn." She looked at Dawn knowing that the young woman was just as worried as she was since it was her entire family that was out there.

Dawn walked over to Willow.

Willow nods, "Master Skywalker do you really think Master Naberrie, Luke, Aurora or Han will be okay?"

Dawn sighs, "Yes Willow I do."

Chewbacca let out another suffering howl.

Dawn sent a silent prayer out into the Force hoping she was right.

In the swamps of Dagobah the Jedi Master Yoda sat in his hut meditating when a Force Ghost appeared beside him. "Hello Revan. It has been a long time."

Revan nods, "Yes it has over 20 years for you. I bring news; Buffy and Dawn have returned. They will bring Luke to be trained by you."

Yoda nods, "And what of Leia and Aurora? Will their parts in what's to come be fulfilled?"

Revan nods, "Yes. Leia will be Luke's first Padawan. And Aurora is being trained now by Dawn. They along with Luke, Willow, Buffy and Dawn will be the beginnings of the new Jedi Order. Just as was foreseen. But there will be several trials before they are ready to lead the Jedi into the future."

Yoda looks up at Revan, "And what of Earth has it been returned to the galaxy?"

Revan nods, "Yes. And the groundwork is already being laid there for the first Jedi Academy. The Slayers on Earth are all Force Sensitive. They will be the first of the New Order."

Back on Hoth the sun that was creeping over the northern horizon was relatively dim, but its light was enough to shed some warmth on the planet's icy surface. The light crawled across the rolling hills of snow, fought to reach the darker recesses of the icy gorges, then finally came to rest on what must have been the only perfect white mound on the entire world.

Buffy woke to find the day started and Han was nowhere to be seen. She quickly checked on Luke and Aurora to find they were still alive before exiting the tent to Han standing outside next to the tent. "Anything?"

Han shook his head, "Not yet."

Suddenly the comlink crackled, "Echo Three, this is Rogue Two. Do you copy? Commander Skywalker, this is Rogue Two."

Buffy took the comlink from Han, "This is Master Naberrie. Glad you guys dropped by. Hope we didn't get you up too early. Notify Echo Base to have the medical center standing by and two Bacta tanks ready."

Rogue Two responded quickly with excitement in his voice, "Acknowledged Master Jedi. Standby."

In the Snowspeeder Rogue Two switched his transmitter back to the hidden Rebel base. "Echo Base, this is Rogue Two," he reported, his voice suddenly rising in pitch. "I found them. Repeat I found them. Master Naberrie request the medbay standing by and Bacta tanks ready."

In the command center at the Rebel base Dawn smiled at what she heard and then called out into the comlink, "How many are alive, Rogue Two?"

A moment later Rogue Two came back over the speakers, "Commander and Padawan Skywalker are alive and in need of medical attention. Master Naberrie and Captain Solo are also alive and waiting rescue."

Dawn smiles and spoke into the comlink, "Other speeders will rendezvous with you to transport everyone back. Good work Rogue Two. Echo Base out."

Short time later in the medical center of the base. Only a thick glass window separated the battered, near-frozen bodies of Aurora and Luke Skywalker from their watchful friends and family.

The surgeon droid, Too-Onebee, was attending to the youths with the skill of the finest humanoid doctors. He was aided by his medical assistant droid, FX-7. Gracefully, the surgeon droid worked a switch that brought a gelatinous red fluid pouring down over his human patients. This bacta, everyone knew, could work miracles, even with patients in such dire shape as Luke and Aurora.

As the bubbling slime encapsulated their bodies, Luke and Aurora began to thrash about and rave deliriously. "Watch out, Aurora," Luke moaned, "snow creatures. Dangerous ... Yoda ... go to Yoda ... only hope."

Buffy hugged Dawn close to her trying to comfort her sister.

Chewie let out interrogative bark.

"He doesn't make sense to me either, Chewie," Han replied.

Buffy and Dawn looked at each recognizing one of the words Luke spoke, Yoda.

Threepio commented hopefully, "I do hope he's all there, if you take my meaning. It would be most unfortunate if Master Luke were to develop a short circuit."

"The kid and my sister ran into something," Han observed matter-of-factly, "and it wasn't just the cold."

"It's those creatures he keeps talking about," Leia said, looking at the grimly staring Solo. "We've doubled the security, Han," she began, tentatively trying to thank him, "I don't know how-"

"Forget it," Han said brusquely. Right now he was concerned only with his friend and his sister in the red bacta fluid.

Dawn moved over to Han and hugged him gently. He looked down at Dawn and smiled as he wrapped his arms around the woman. "She'll be alright, Dawn."

Aurora and Luke's body sloshed through the brightly colored substance, the bacta's healing properties by now taking effect. They began to quiet down as the bacta worked on the two of them.

Too-Onebee turned away from the humans who had been entrusted to his care. He angled his skull-shaped head to gaze at Han and the others through the window. "Commander and Padawan Skywalker has been in dormo-shock but is responding well to the bacta," the robot announced, his commanding, authoritative voice heard distinctly through the glass. "They are now out of danger."

Dawn let out a sigh of relief at the droids words.

Han smiled at Dawn, "See I told you."

Dawn nods, "Yes you did."

A short time later Aurora and Luke were sitting on beds in the medical center. Luke looked over at Aurora who smiled at each other. Letting each other know they were alright.

"The bacta are growing well," Leia said as she looked at Luke's healing wounds. "The scars should be gone in a day or so. Does it still hurt either of you?"

Across the room, the door banged open. Artoo beeped a cheerful greeting as he and Threpio moved towards Dawn, Aurora, Luke and Lei. "Master Luke, Mistress Aurora it's good to see you functional again." Threepio stated

Aurora smiled, "Thanks, Threepio."

Artoo emitted a series of happy beeps and whistles.

"Artoo expresses his relief also," Threepio translated helpfully.

Dawn smiles, "Thank you Threepio."

"Hi, kid. Hey, sis." Han Solo greeted them boisterously as he and Chewbacca burst into the medical center.

The Wookiee growled a friendly greeting.

"You both look strong enough to wrestle a Gundark," Han observed.

Buffy smiles, "While I wouldn't have worded it quite that way, I have to agree with Han."

Luke felt that strong, and felt grateful to his friend and his aunt. "Thanks to you and Aunt Buffy."

"That's two you owe me, junior." Han remarked

Aurora nods and smiles, "I have to agree with Luke."

Buffy smiles, "Well I couldn't let me favorite niece and nephew die could I?"

Dawn rolls her eyes, "They are you're only niece and nephew."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Nitpick, Dawn. But you're just as happy as I am that their back safe and sound."

Dawn nods, "Yes I am." She reaches down and hugs Aurora.

Han gives Leia a wide, devilish grin. "Well, Your Worship," he said mockingly, "it looks like you arranged to keep me close by for a while longer."

"I had nothing to do with it," Leia said hotly, annoyed at Han's vanity. "General Rieekan and Master Skywalker think it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until the generators are operational."

"That makes a good story. But I think you just can't bear to let me out of your sight."

Dawn moves around Aurora and Luke's beds to Han and slaps him upside the head.

"I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brains," Leia retorted.

Han rubbed his head and looked at Dawn, "What was that for?"

Dawn shakes her head, "What do you think Han. You know if you Jacen were still alive he would have bent you over his knee."

Chewbacca let out a roaring Wookiee laugh.

"Laugh it up, fuzz ball," Han said good naturedly. "You didn't see us alone in the south passage. She expressed her true feeling for me," Han continued, delighting in the rosy flush that appeared on the princess's cheeks. "Come on, Your Highness, you've already forgotten."

Dawn frowns, "Han I'm warning you."

"Why, you low-down, stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder..." Leia sputtered in fury.

"Who's scruffy-looking?" Han grinned. "I tell ya, sweetheart, I must've hit pretty close to the mark to get you hoppin' like this. Doesn't it look that way to you, Luke?"

Dawn frowns, "That's it. Chewie if you would please bend Han over your knee."

Aurora, Buffy and Chewie laughed

"Yeah," Luke said, staring at the princess incredulously, "it does ... kind of."

"Oh, it does, does it?" Leia said. "Well, I guess you don't understand everything about women, do you?"

Luke shook his head, "I understand more than you think having grown up with my cousin."

Leia leaned over and kissed Luke firmly on the lips. Then she turned on her heel and marched across the room, slamming the door behind her. Everyone in the room - human, Wookiee, and droid - looked at one another, speechless.

Dawn looked at Buffy and frowned. They exited out into the corridor. "I know we agreed with Obi-Wan in not telling her Luke was her brother. But I'm not sure it's wise to continue to deceive her. Not when she's kissing him like that."

Buffy sighs, "A little bit longer. I would rather wait to tell Leia and Luke they are related till Willow is done with her training. That way Willow or I will be free to take Leia as our Padawan."

Dawn nods, "Talking about Willow. I've been thinking. I think she is ready for her trials."

Buffy smiles, "I've been thinking the exact same thing. I intend to take her to Dagobah with Luke when he goes to Master Yoda to start his training. Once there I will give her, her trials."

In the distance, a warning alarm blared through the subterranean corridors. Han, Chewie, Leia, Threepio, Buffy, and Dawn enters the command center a few moments later.

"General," the sensor controller called.

Grimly attentive, General Rieekan watched the console screens. Suddenly he saw a flashing signal that had not been there a moment before. "Princess… Master Jedi," he said, "I think we have a visitor."

Buffy, Dawn, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Threepio gathered around the general and watched the beeping monitor screens.

"We've picked up something outside the base in Zone Twelve. It's moving east," said Rieekan.

"Whatever it is, it's metal," the sensor controller observed.

Leia's eyes widened in surprise. "Then it can't be one of those creatures that attacked Luke."

"Could it be ours?" Han asked. "A speeder?"

The sensor controller shook his head. "No, there's no signal." Then came a sound from another monitor. "Wait, something very weak..."

Walking as rapidly as his stiff joints allowed, Threepio approached the console. His auditory sensors tuned in the strange signals. "I must say, sir, I'm fluent in over sixty million forms of communication, but this is something new. Must be in a code or…"

Just then the voice of a Rebel trooper cut in through the console's comlink speaker. "This is Echo Station Three-Eight. Unidentified object is in our scope. It's just over the ridge. We should have visual contact in about-" Without warning the voice filled with fear. "What the-? Oh, no!"

A burst of radio static followed, then the transmission broke off completely.

Han frowned. "Whatever it is," he said, "it isn't friendly. Let's have a look. Come on, Chewie."

Dawn nods, "I'm coming with you Han." She looks to Rieekan, "General dispatch two Rogues to Station Three-Eight."

General Rieekan nods, "Of course Master Jedi."

On a mammoth Imperial Star Destroyer Darth Vader watched the endless array of stars out the front viewport. Captain Piett rushed across the wide bridge of the ship, carrying a message for the squat, evil-looking Admiral Ozzel, who was stationed on the bridge. "I think we've found something, Admiral," he announced nervously, looking from Ozzel to the Dark Lord.

"Yes, Captain?" The admiral was a supremely confident man who felt relaxed in the presence of his cloaked superior.

"The report we have is only a fragment, from a probe droid in the Hoth system. But it's the best lead we've had in-"

"We have had thousands of probe droids searching the galaxy," Ozzel broke in angrily. "I want proof, not leads. I don't intend to continue to chase around from one side of-"

Abruptly the Darth Vader approached the two and interrupted. "You found something?" he asked, his voice somewhat distorted by the breath mask.

Captain Piett respectfully gazed at his master, who loomed above him like a black-robed, omnipotent god. "Yes, sir," Piett said slowly, choosing his words with caution. "We have visuals. The system is supposed to be devoid of human forms ..."

But Vader was no longer listening to the captain. His masked face turned toward an image beamed on one of the viewscreens - an image of a small squadron of Rebel snowspeeders streaking above the white fields.

"That's it," Darth Vader boomed without further deliberation.

"My lord," Admiral Ozzel protested, 'there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers-

"That is the one!" the former Jedi Knight insisted, clenching a black-gloved fist. "And Skywalker and his aunt is with them. Bring in the patrol ships, Admiral, and set your course for the Hoth system." Vader looked toward an officer wearing a green uniform with matching cap. "General Veers," the Dark Lord addressed him, "prepare your men."

As soon as Darth Vader had spoken, his men set about to launch his fearful plan.

On Hoth the Imperial Probe Droid raised a large antenna from its buglike head and sent out a piercing, high-frequency signal. The robot's scanners had reacted to a lifeform hidden behind a great dune of snow and noted the appearance of a brown Wookiee head and the sound of a deep-throated growl. The blasters that had been built into the probe robot took aim at the furry giant. But before the robot had a chance to fire, a red beam from a hand blaster exploded from behind the Imperial Probe Droid and nicked its darkly finished hull. As he ducked behind a large snow dune, Dawn Skywalker and Han Solo noticed Chewbacca still hidden, and then watched as the robot spun around in midair to face them. Dawn quietly ignited her lightsaber. The droid fired at them and Dawn parried the blasts. Han fired again, hitting it square on with the beam of his weapon. Then he heard a high-pitched whine coming from the deadly machine, and in an instant the Imperial Probe Droid burst into a billion or more flaming pieces.

Dawn walks over to the droid and shook her head.

"... I'm afraid there's not much left," Han said over the comlink as he concluded his report to the underground base.

Buffy Naberrie, Princess Leia and General Rieekan were still manning the console where they had maintained constant communication with Dawn and Han. "What is it?" Leia asked.

"Droid of some kind," Dawn answered. "Han didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct."

Leia paused as she considered this unwelcome piece of information. "An Imperial droid," she said, betraying some trepidation.

"If it was," Han warned, "the Empire surely knows we're here."

General Rieekan shook his head slowly. "We'd better start to evacuate the planet."

Buffy nods, "Agreed."

On Earth Angel, and his now 3 year old daughter, Padme were walking down the halls of the New Watcher's Council. When suddenly a Force Ghost appeared before him. "Hello, Angel."

Angel looked at the man and nodded in understanding. Buffy had told Angel about him and knew it was he was seeing, "You are Revan? You are the one that Buffy and Dawn are descended from."

Revan nodded, "Yes, I am Revan, their ancestor."

Angel nodded, "They are not here. They went through the portal last year."

Revan nods, "I actually am here to see you."

Angel frowns, "Me why?"

Revan smiles, "Because I know you worry for Buffy. You need not worry my children are alive." Angel smiled. "But they are not the reason I have come. You need to prepare for their return."

Angel shook his head, "Prepare?"

Revan nods, "The Slayers they are the next generation of Jedi. They must be prepared to be the first of the Padawans."

Angel frowned, "How can we prepare them when know nothing about the Force?"

Revan nods, "Teach them what you can. Then when Buffy, Dawn, Willow, and Aurora return they will setup the first Jedi Academy on Earth and then will proceed to teach them the rest of what they need. You must also prepare the governments of this world to be ready to join in the Republic. Earth will be the first world to join the New Republic."

On Hoth, in the hangar, Princess Leia was addressing a small band of Rebel fighter pilots. "The large transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded. Only two fighter escorts per ship. The energy shield can only be opened for a split second, so you'll have to stay very close to the transports."

Hobbie, a Rebel veteran of many battles, looked at the princess with concern. "Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?"

"The ion cannon will fire several blasts which should destroy any ships in your flight path," Leia explained. "When you clear the energy shield, you will proceed to the rendezvous point. Good luck."

Buffy nods, "And May the Force Be With You."

Somewhat reassured, Hobbie and the other pilots raced toward their fighter cockpits.

In the Command Center… "Their first target will be the power generators," General Rieekan told the princess.

"First transport Three Zone approaching shield," one of the Rebel controllers said.

"Prepare to open shield," Buffy ordered.

"Stand by, Ion Control," another controller said.

A giant metal globe on Hoth's icy surface rotated into position and angled its great turret gun upward.

"Fire!" came the order from General Rieekan.

Suddenly two red beams of destructive energy were released into the cold skies. The beams almost immediately overtook the first of the racing Rebel transport craft, and sped on a direct course toward the huge Star Destroyer.

The twin red bolts struck the enormous ship and blasted its conning tower. Explosions set off by the blast began to rock the great flying fortress, spinning it out of control. The Star Destroyer plunged into deep space as the Rebel transport and its two fighter escorts streaked off to safety.


	3. Chapter 3: The Battle to Escape

**Chapter 3: The Battle to Escape**

On Earth Angel walked into Giles office. "Rupert do you have a moment?"

Giles looked up and nods, "What can I do for you Angel?"

Angel sighs, "I had a visit. You remember the ghost Buffy mentioned, Revan?"

Giles nods, "Yes. He was hers and Dawn's ancestor."

Angel nods, "I received a very lengthy visit from him. He wants us to do several things. The first being with the Slayers that Willow activated with her spell during the battle with the First Evil. It seems the Slayers are ALL Force sensitive. We're to start training them. They are to be the first Jedi of the new Jedi Order."

Giles shakes his head, "That is interesting. How are we supposed to train them?"

Angel nods, "Well we can't train them in everything of course. Only Buffy, Dawn, Willow and Dawn's daughter – Aurora can train them to use the Force. We can at least give them starters with what we know. In another words we need to start their Slayer training."

Giles nods, "We can do that. Did he have anything else to say?"

Angel nods, "Yes. We are now back in the galaxy where we belong. Which means we need to prepare the governments of Earth for the arrival of Buffy and Dawn. Earth is to be one of the first planets to join the New Republic."

Giles frowns, "How are we to prepare them?"

Angel shakes his head, "I don't know. Revan didn't really say."

On Hoth Luke and Aurora Skywalker paused at the tail section of the Millennium Falcon, where Han Solo and Chewbacca were working frenetically on the right lifter.

"Chewie," Luke called, "take care of yourself. And watch over this guy, will ya?"

The Wookiee barked a farewell, gave Luke a big hug, then turned back to his work on the lifters.

The two friends, Luke and Han, stood looking at each other, perhaps for the last time.

"I hope you make your peace with Jabba," Luke said at last.

"Give 'em hell, kid," the Corellian responded lightly.

Aurora smiled, "Han you be careful, okay?"

Han nods, "Don't you worry once I settle things with Jabba I will be back. Nothing is going to keep me from you my sister."

Aurora nods, "That is good Han. By the way Han I was talking to mom the other day. She wants to make it official. You know that she's dad's wife."

Han smiles, "I think Dawn should do that. I think Dad would have liked that. He did propose to her after all. Maybe after I come back we can do that, go to Corellia and make it official."

Aurora smiles, "That sounds like a good idea."

Han looks to Luke, "You keep my sister alive or I will kick your butt from one end of the galaxy to the other."

Luke smiled, "I will Han."

Luke and Aurora turned and began to walk away as memories of exploits shared with Han flooded their mind. Together they turned and looked back at the Falcon, and saw Han still staring after them. As they all gazed at each other for a brief moment, Chewbacca looked up and knew that each was wishing the other the best, wherever their individual fates might take them.

The public address system broke in on their thoughts. "First transport is clear," a Rebel announcer proclaimed the good news.

At the announcement, a cheer burst from those gathered in the hangar. Luke and Aurora turned and hurried over to Luke's snowspeeder. When they reached it, Dack, his fresh-faced young gunner, was standing outside the ship waiting for him.

"How are you feeling, sir?" Dack asked enthusiastically.

"Like new, Dack. How about you?"

Dack beamed. "Right now I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself."

"Yeah," Luke said quietly, "I know what you mean."

Aurora laughed at her cousin, "I bet you do. You be careful, Luke." She turns to Dack. "And you make sure my cousin comes back in one piece."

Dack nods and bows before Aurora, "I will do my best Padawan Skywalker. As the Force is my witness he will return to you alive and well."

Dawn's voice came over the address system: "Attention, speeder pilots ... on the withdrawal signal assemble at South Slope. Your fighters are being prepared for takeoff. Code One Five will be transmitted when evacuation is complete."

Aurora smiles and gives her cousin a kiss on the cheek, "Good luck. I better go find Aunt Buffy and wish her luck as well."

Luke nods, "Tell her good luck for me."

"I will." Aurora said and headed off to find Buffy.

NO one on Hoth heard the sound. At first, it was simply too distant to carry above the whining winds. Besides, the Rebel troopers, fighting the cold as they prepared for battle, were too busy to really listen.

The Rebel power generators near the gun towers began popping, buzzing, and crackling with deafening bursts of electrical power -enough to supply the vast underground complex. But above all this activity and noise a strange sound could be heard, an ominous thumping that was coming nearer and was beginning to shake the frozen ground. When it was close enough to attract the attention of an officer, he strained to see through the storm, looking for the source of the heavy, rhythmic pounding. Other men looked up from their work and saw what looked like a number of moving specks. Through the blizzard, the small dots seemed to be advancing at a slow yet steady pace, churning up clouds of snow as they moved toward the Rebel base.

The officer raised his electrobinoculars and focused on the approaching objects. There must have been a dozen of them resolutely advancing through the snow, looking like creatures out of some uncharted past. But they were machines, each of them stalking like enormous ungulates on four jointed legs.

Walkers!

With a shock of recognition, the officer identified the Empire's All Terrain Armored Transports. Each machine was formidably armed with cannons placed on its foreside like the horns of some prehistoric beast.

Moving like mechanized pachyderms, the walkers emitted deadly fire from their turnstile guns and cannons.

The officer grabbed his comlink. "Rogue Leader ... Incoming! Point Zero Three."

"Echo Station Five-Seven, we're on our way."

Even as Buffy replied, an explosion sprayed ice and snow around the officer and his terror-struck men. The walkers already had them within range. The troopers knew their job was to divert attention while the transport ships were launched, but none of the Rebel soldiers was prepared to die under the feet or weapons of these horrible machines.

Of the twelve snowspeeders, four took the lead, soaring at full throttle as they moved toward the enemy. One All Terrain Armored Transport machine fired, barely missing the banking craft. A burst of gunfire blew another speeder into a ball of flaming oblivion that lit up the sky.

Buffy saw the explosion of her squadron's first casualty as she looked from her cockpit window. Angrily, Buffy fired her ship's guns at a walker, only to receive a hail of Imperial fire power that shook her speeder in a barrage of flak.

Regaining control of her ship, Buffy was joined by another snowspeeder, Luke. "You okay, Aunt Buffy?" Luke asked.

"Just peachy with a side of keen," Buffy replied. "Rogue Leader to Rogue Three."

"Copy, Rogue Leader," acknowledged Wedge, the pilot of Rogue Three.

"Wedge," Buffy called into her comlink, "split your squad into pairs."

The walkers, firing all cannons, continued their march across the snow.

As Buffy and Luke soared up and away from the walker, they looked back. "That armor is too strong for blaster," Buffy said.

"Agreed," Luke replied. "Harpoons?"

"Rogue group," Buffy called into her comlink, "use your harpoons and tow cables. Go for the legs. It's our only hope of stopping them. Luke, stick close now."

As he leveled his ship, Luke was grimly determined to glide in tight formation with his aunt. Together they veered, dropping nearer Hoth's surface.

In Luke's cockpit, his gunner, Dack, was jostled by the abrupt movement of the craft. Trying to keep his grip on the Rebel harpoon gun in his hand, he shouted, "Whoa! Luke, I can't seem to find my restraints."

Explosions rocked Luke's ship, tossing it about violently in the enveloping flak. Through the window he could see another walker that appeared to be unaffected by the full fire power of the Rebel attack speeders. This lumbering machine now became Luke's target as he flew, moving in a descending arc. The walker was firing directly at him and Buffy, creating a wall of laser bolts and flak.

"Just hang on, Dack," he yelled over the explosions, "and get ready to fire that tow cable!"

Another great blast shook Luke's snowspeeder. He fought to regain control as the ship wobbled in its flight. Luke began to sweat profusely, despite the cold, as he desperately attempted to right his plunging ship. But the horizon still spun in front of him.

"Stand by, Dack. We're almost there. Are you okay?"

Dack didn't answer. Luke managed to turn and saw that Hobbie's speeder was maintaining its course next to him as they evaded the explosions bursting around them. He craned his head around and saw Dack, blood streaming from his forehead, slumped against the controls.

"Dack!" Luke turned quickly around and called into his comlink. "Rogue Leader, Aunt Buffy my gunner is out."

"Acknowledged," Buffy replied. "Cover me, Luke."

Inside the base Dawn and Princess Leia moved quickly, trying to avoid the falling frozen chunks, as she sought shelter in the Rebel command center.

"I'm not sure we can protect two transports at a time," General Rieekan told her as she entered the chamber.

"It's risky," Leia answered, "but our holding action is faltering." Leia realized that the transport launchings were taking too much time and that the procedure had to be hastened.

Dawn sighed, "General, accelerate departures."

Rieekan looked to Leia who nodded, "Yes Master Jedi." He turned and issued a command through his comlink. "Launch patrol, proceed with accelerated departures ..."

As the general gave his order, Leia looked toward an aide and said, "Begin clearing the remaining ground staff." But she knew that their escape depended completely on Rebel success in the on-going battle above.

Rogue Three's snowspeeder had just attacked the lead walker. Its pilot, Wedge, hooted with a loud Rebel shout of victory as he saw the damage his guns had caused.

Other snowspeeders passed Wedge, racing in the opposite direction. He steered his craft on a direct course toward another walking death machine. As he approached the monster, Wedge shouted to his gunner, 'Activate harpoon!'

The gunner pressed the firing switch as his pilot daringly maneuvered their craft through the walker's legs. Immediately the harpoon whooshed from the rear of the speeder, a long length of cable unwinding behind it.

"Cable out!" the gunner yelled. "Let her go!"

Wedge saw the harpoon plunge into one of the metal legs, the cable still connected to his snowspeeder. He checked his controls, then brought the speeder around in front of the Imperial machine. Making an abrupt turn, Wedge guided his ship around one of the hind legs, the cable banding around it like a metallic lariat.

So far, thought Wedge, Buffy's plan was working. Now all he had to do was fly his speeder around to the tail end of the walker. Wedge caught a glimpse of Rogue Leader as he carried out the maneuver.

"Cable out!" shouted the speeder's gunner again as Wedge flew their craft alongside the cable-entangled walker, close to the metal hull. Wedge's gunner depressed another switch and released the cable from the rear of the snowspeeder.

The speeder zoomed away and Wedge laughed as he looked down at the results of their efforts. The walker was awkwardly struggling to continue on its way, but the Rebel cable had completely entangled its legs. Finally it leaned to one side and crashed against the ground, its impact stirring up a cloud of ice and snow.

"Rogue Leader ... One down, Master Jedi,' Wedge announced to the pilot of his companion speeder.

"I see it, Wedge," Buffy answered. "Good work."

Luke and Buffy could see the destruction of the walker as they flew overhead, banking from right to left to avoid the flak bursting around them. When they finally leveled off, their craft were shaken by explosions from the walkers' cannons.

"Steady, Aunt Buffy," Luke said, looking over at the snowspeeder flying parallel to his own ship. "Set harpoon. I'll cover for you."

But there was another explosion, this one damaging the front section of Buffy's ship. She could barely see through the engulfing cloud of smoke that fogged her windshield. She fought to keep her ship on a horizontal path, but more blasts by the enemy made it rock violently.

Buffy's view had become so obscured that it wasn't until she was directly in the line of fire that she saw the massive image of another Imperial walker. Calling out into the Force she banked the snowspeeder quickly, far too quickly and it plowed into the snow.

Luke saw Buffy's snowspeeder go down. "Aunt Buffy are you okay?" There was no response. Luke was sickened by the possible loss of his Aunt he had only known for a year. But he couldn't let himself dwell on his grief, especially now when so many other lives depended on his steady leadership as Buffy's second in command. "Rogue Leader is down, repeat Rogue Leader is down."

In the command center Dawn, Aurora and Leia heard Luke's words. They each feared the worst for Buffy. Dawn reached out into the Force, exploring the Bond she shared with Buffy trying to sense her sister.

Luke looked around desperately, then spoke into his comlink. "Wedge ... Wedge ... Rogue Three. Set your harpoon and follow me on the next pass."

As he spoke, Luke was hit hard by a terrific explosion that ripped through his speeder. He struggled with the controls in a futile attempt to keep the small craft under control. A chill of fear swept over him when he noticed the dense twisting funnel of black smoke pouring from his ship's aft section. He realized then that there was no way his damaged speeder could remain aloft. And, to make matters even worse, a walker loomed directly in his path.

Luke struggled with the controls as his ship plunged toward the ground, leaving a trail of smoke and flames behind. By then the heat in the cockpit was nearly unbearable. Flames were beginning to leap about inside the speeder and were coming uncomfortably close to Luke. He finally brought his ship down to skid and crash into the snow just a few meters away from one of the walking Imperial machines.

After impact, Luke struggled to pull himself from the cockpit and looked with horror at the looming figure of the approaching walker.

Gathering all his strength, Luke quickly squeezed himself from under the twisted metal of the control board and moved up against the top of his cockpit. Somehow he managed to open the hatch halfway and climbed out of the ship. With each elephantine step of the oncoming walker, the speeder shook violently. Luke had not realized just how enormous these four-legged horrors were until, unprotected by the shelter of his craft, he saw one up close.

Then he remembered Dack and returned to try and pull his friend's lifeless form from the wrecked speeder. But Luke had to give up. The body was too tightly wedged in the cockpit, and the walker was now almost upon him. Braving the flames, Luke reached into his speeder and grabbed the harpoon gun.

He gazed at the advancing mechanical behemoth and suddenly had an idea. He reached back inside the cockpit of the speeder and groped for a land mine attached to the ship's interior. With a great effort he stretched his fingers and firmly grasped the mine.

Luke leaped away from his vehicle just as the towering machine lifted a massive foot and planted it firmly on the snowspeeder, crushing it flat.

Luke crouched underneath the walker, moving with it to avoid its slow steps. Raising his head, he felt the cold wind slap against his face as he studied the monster's vast underbelly.

As he ran along under the machine, Luke aimed his harpoon gun and fired. A powerful magnet attached to a long thin cable was ejected from the gun and firmly attached itself to the machine's underbelly.

Still running, Luke yanked on the cable, testing to make sure its strength was sufficient to sustain his weight. Then he attached the cable drum to the buckle of his utility belt, allowing its mechanism to pull him up off the ground. Now, dangling from the monster's underbelly, Luke could see the remaining walkers and two Rebel snowspeeders continuing the battle as they soared through fiery explosions.

He climbed up to the machine's hull where he had observed a small hatch. Quickly cutting it open with his laser sword, Luke pulled open the hatch, threw in the land mine, and made a rapid descent along the cable. As he reached the end, Luke dropped hard onto the snow and became unconscious; his inert body was nearly brushed by one of the walker's hind feet.

As the walker passed over and away from him, a muffled explosion tore at its insides. Suddenly the tremendous bulk of the mechanical beast exploded at the seams, machinery and pieces of hull flying in every direction. The Imperial assault machine crumbled into a smoking, motionless heap coming to rest upon what remained of its four stiltlike legs.

Luke quickly stood up and ran towards Buffy's downed speeder. He opened the cockpit to check to see if his Aunt was alive…"


	4. Chapter 4: Towards Destiny

**Chapter 4: Towards Destiny**

Luke breathed out a sigh of relief as Buffy opened her eyes. "Thank the Force. For a moment Aunt Buffy I thought you might be dead."

Buffy smiled and got out of the snowspeeder. She quickly checked her gunner to find he was dead. "It's ok, Luke. We need to rendezvous with our ships and prepare to evacuate."

The Rebel command center, its walls and ceiling still shaking and cracking under the force of the battle on the surface, was attempting to operate amid the destruction. There were still Rebel personnel on duty, including Princess Leia, Dawn and Aurora, who watched the images on the few still-functioning console screens.

Leia and Dawn wanted to be certain that the last of the transport ships had slipped past the Imperial armada and were approaching their rendezvous point in space. Aurora wanted to make sure her mother was safe before she headed for a transport herself.

Han Solo rushed into the command center, dodging great sections of the ice ceiling that came plunging down at him. One great chunk was followed by an avalanche of ice that poured onto the floor near the entrance to the chamber. Undaunted, Han hurried to the control board where Leia, Dawn and Aurora stood beside See Threepio.

"I heard the command center was hit." Han appeared concerned. "Are you all right?"

Dawn looked at her 'son' and nodded, wondering when she had started to consider Han her son.

Leia was surprised to see him there where the danger was severest.

"Come on," he urged. "You've got to get to your ship."

Taking Leia and Dawn's hands, Han led them from the chamber, with the protocol droid and Aurora following after them.

As they left, Dawn gave one final order to the controller. "Give the evacuation code signal... and get to the transport."

Then, as Leia, Dawn, Aurora, Han, and Threepio made their hasty exit from the command center, a voice blared from the public address speakers, echoing in the nearby deserted ice corridors. "Disengage, disengage! Begin retreat action!"

"Come on," Han urged, grimacing. "If you don't get there fast, your ship won't be able to take off."

Aurora smiled and rushed up to give Han a quick kiss on the cheek. She was proud to have him for a brother. Han looked at his sister and smiled at her.

The walls quaked even more violently than before. Ice chunks continued to fall throughout the underground base as the three hurried toward the transport ships. They had nearly reached the hangar where the transport ship was waiting, ready for departure. But as they neared the corner they found the entrance to the hangar completely blocked by ice and snow.

Han knew they would have to find some other route to the escape ship - and quickly. He began to lead them back down the corridor, careful to avoid falling ice, and snapped on his comlink as they hurried toward the ship. "Transport C One Seven!" he yelled into the small microphone. "We're coming! Hold on!"

They were close enough to the hangar to hear the escape vessel preparing for lift-off from the Rebel ice base. If he could lead them just a few meters more; Leia, Dawn and Aurora would be safe and-

The chamber suddenly quaked with a terrible noise that thundered through the underground base. In an instant the entire ceiling had crashed down in front of them, creating a solid barrier of ice between them and the hangar docks. They stared in shock at the dense white mass.

Aurora cursed under her breath as she saw they were cut off.

"We're cut off," Han yelled into his comlink, knowing that if the transport were to make good its escape there could be no time wasted in melting down or blasting through the barricade. "You'll have to take off without Princess Organa, Master and Padawan Skywalker." He turned to Leia, Dawn, and Aurora. "If we're lucky we can still make it to the Falcon."

They followed as Han dashed toward another chamber, hoping that the Millennium Falcon and his Wookiee copilot had not already been buried under an avalanche of ice.

On the surface Luke and Buffy were making their way towards the rendezvous point where their ships were waiting. Luke's comlink whistled, he flicked the receiver as he looked to his Aunt.

"Forward units' withdrawal complete," the broadcast voice reported.

"Withdrawal?" Luke said looking at Buffy.

"They must have gotten on the last transport and escaped." Buffy said. At least that's what she hoped anyways. She stretched out her feelings and searched through the Force Bond for Dawn.

Another explosion rocked the Rebel hangar deck, cracking the ceiling and almost burying the docked Millennium Falcon in a mound of ice. At any moment the entire ceiling might cave in. The only safe place in the hangar seemed to be underneath the ship itself where Chewbacca was impatiently awaiting the return of his captain. The Wookiee had begun to worry. If Han did not return soon, the Falcon would surely be buried in a tomb of ice. But loyalty to his partner kept Chewie from taking off in the freighter alone.

As the hangar started to tremble more violently, Chewbacca detected movement in the adjoining chamber. Throwing back his head, the shaggy giant filled the hangar with his loudest roar as he saw Han Solo climb over hills of ice and snow and enter the chamber, followed closely by Princess Leia, Dawn, Aurora and an obviously nervous See Threepio.

Not far from the hangar, Imperial stormtroopers, their faces shielded by white helmets and white snowscreens, had begun moving down deserted corridors. With them strode their leader, the dark-robed figure who surveyed the shambles that had been the Rebel base at Hoth. Darth Vader's black image stood out starkly against the white walls, ceiling, and floor. As he moved through the white catacombs, he regally stepped aside to avoid a falling section of the ice ceiling. Then he continued on his way with such quick strides that his troops had to hurry to keep up.

A low whine, rising in pitch, began to issue from the saucer-shaped freighter. Han Solo stood at the controls in the Millennium Falcon's cockpit, at last feeling at home. He quickly flipped one switch after another, expecting to see the board flash its familiar mosaic of light; but only some of the lights were working.

Chewbacca had also noticed something amiss and barked with concern as Leia examined a gauge that seemed to be malfunctioning.

"How's that, Chewie?" asked Han anxiously.

The Wookiee's bark was distinctly negative.

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" snapped Princess Leia, who was beginning to wonder if it were the Corellian's spit that held the ship together.

Dawn shook her head, "Leia, now is not the time. Let Han get us out of here before you start the sarcastic comments."

See Threepio clanked into the hold and, gesturing, tried to get Han's attention. "Sir," the robot volunteered, "I was wondering if I might-" But his scanners read the scowl on the face staring at him. "It can wait," he concluded.

Imperial stormtroopers, accompanied by the rapidly moving Darth Vader, thundered through the ice corridors of the Rebel base. Their pace quickened as they rushed in the direction of the low whine coming from the ion engines. Vader's body tensed slightly as, entering the hangar, he perceived the familiar saucer-shaped form of the Millennium Falcon. Then he sensed something coming from the Falcon. Two Jedi, and one of them was his sister. He could feel a familiarity of the other Jedi on the ship. Then his eyes widened behind his mask and memories from twenty years previous flooded his mind. Suddenly he knew who the other Jedi was… Dawn's child, his niece.

Within the battered freighter ship, Han Solo and Chewbacca were trying desperately to get the craft moving.

Dawn frowned and looked at Aurora, "Vader knows I'm here."

"This bucket of bolts is never going to get us past that blockade," Princess Leia complained.

Han pretended that he didn't hear her. Instead, he checked the Falcon's controls and struggled to keep his patience even though his companion had so obviously lost hers. He flipped switches on the control console, ignoring the princess's look of disdain. Clearly, she doubted that this assemblage of spare parts and welded hunks of scrap metal would hold together even if they did manage to get beyond the blockade.

Han pushed a button on the intercom. "Chewie ... come on!" Then, winking at Leia, he said, "This baby's still got a few surprises left in her."

"I'll be surprised if we start moving."

Dawn shook her head as she looked at her niece, "Leia! Now really is not the time." She opened herself up to the Force. She then began searching for the problem that kept them grounded, letting the Force guide her.

Suddenly the Falcon was jolted by a blast of Imperial laser fire that flashed outside the cockpit window. They could all see the squad of Imperial stormtroopers rushing with drawn weapons into the far end of the ice hangar. Han knew that the Falcon's dented hull might resist the force of those hand weapons, but would be destroyed by the more powerful bazooka-shaped weapon that two of the Imperial troopers were hurriedly setting up.

"Chewie!" Han yelled as he quickly strapped himself into his pilot's chair. Meanwhile, a Leia seated herself in the navigator's chair. Dawn headed back to Chewie. "Aurora get yourself strapped in."

Aurora looked at her mother and nodded, "Of course, mom." She headed for the cockpit and sat behind Han. She reached up and touched his shoulder.

Han looked back at his sister and smiled before returning his attention to the controls.

Outside the Millennium Falcon, stormtroopers worked with military efficiency to set up their enormous gun. Behind them the hangar doors began to open. One of the Falcon's powerful laser weapons appeared from the hull and swung about, aiming directly at the storm troopers.

Han moved urgently to block the Imperial soldiers' efforts. Without hesitation he released a deadly blast from the powerful laser weapon he had aimed at the stormtroopers. The explosion scattered their armored bodies all over the hangar.

Chewbacca dashed into the cockpit.

"We'll just have to switch over," Han announced, "and hope for the best."

Dawn called up, "Go Han." She looked at Threepio who came back when Aurora went forward. She strapped the droid in and then strapped herself in.

The Wookiee hurled his hairy bulk into the copilot's seat as yet another laser blast erupted outside the window next to him. He yelled indignantly, then yanked back on the controls to bring the welcome roar of engine fire from deep inside the Falcon.

The Corellian grinned at the princess, a gleeful I-told-you-so gleam in his eyes.

"Someday," Leia said with mild disgust, "you're going to be wrong, and I just hope I'm there to see it."

Aurora shook her head as she looked at Leia.

Han just smiled then turned to his copilot. "Punch it!" he shouted.

The huge freighter's engines roared. And everything behind the craft instantly melted in the fiery exhaust billowing from its tailpiece. Chewbacca furiously worked the controls, watching out of the corner of his eyes the ice walls rushing past as the freighter blasted away.

At the last moment, just before takeoff, Han caught a glimpse of additional stormtroopers running into the hangar. In their wake strode a foreboding giant clad entirely in black. Then there was only the blue and the beckoning of billions of stars.

As the Millennium Falcon soared from the hangar, its flight was detected by Buffy and Luke.

Dawn reached out in the Force through the Bond and found Buffy and smiled as she projected to her sister, 'See you at the fleet.'

Buffy nodded and smiled and projected back, 'May the Force Be with You, Dawnie. Keep yourself and Aurora safe.'

"At least Han got away." Luke said as he and Buffy trudged along to the waiting X-wing fighter and Prometheus ships.

Buffy smiled as she saw Willow waiting for her. "Will, ready to go see a Jedi Master?"

Luke looked at his Aunt, "What?"

Buffy smiled, "We're going with you to see Master Yoda."

Willow nodded, "I am, Buffy."

Then out of nowhere a familiar whistle greeted Luke.

"Artoo!" he exclaimed. "Is that you?"

Sitting snugly in the socket that had been installed for these helpful R2 units was the little barrel-shaped droid, his head peeking from the top of the ship. Artoo had scanned the approaching figures and had whistled with relief when his computers informed him it was Luke.

"Activate the power and stop worrying. We'll soon be airborne," Luke said in response to Artoo's nervous beeping.

Buffy smiled, "Ceeseven power up and prepare to head out. Willow do you want the honors?"

Willow blinked, "You think I'm ready to pilot a fighter?"

Buffy smiled, "Yes I am, my Padawan."

Darth Vader, a raven specter, quickly strode through the ruins of the Rebel ice fortress, forcing his accompanying men into a brisk jog to keep up. As they moved through the corridors, Admiral Piett rushed up to overtake his master.

"Seventeen ships destroyed," he reported to the Dark Lord. "We don't know how many got away."

Without turning his head, Vader snarled through his mask, "The Millennium Falcon?"

Piett paused a moment before replying. He would have preferred to avoid that issue. "Our tracking scanners are on it now," he responded a bit fearfully.

Vader turned to face the admiral, his towering figure looming over the frightened officer. Piett felt a chill course through his veins, and when the Dark Lord spoke again his voice conveyed an image of the dreadful fate that would be inflicted if his commands were not executed.

"I want that ship," he hissed, vowing that he would see the return of his sister and the niece he never knew he had.

The ice planet was rapidly shrinking to a point of dim light as the Millennium Falcon sped into space. Soon that planet seemed nothing more than one of the billions of light specks scattered throughout the black void.

But the Falcon was not alone in its escape into deep space. Rather, it was followed by an Imperial fleet that included the Avenger Star Destroyer and a half-dozen TIE fighters. The fighters moved ahead of the huge, slower-moving Destroyer, and closed in on the fleeing Millennium Falcon.

Chewbacca howled over the roar of the Falcon's engines. The ship was beginning to lurch with the buffeting flak blasted at it by the fighters.

"I know, I know, I see them," Han shouted. It was taking everything he had to maintain control of the ship.

Dawn came into the cockpit and stood between Aurora and Leia.

"See what?" Leia asked.

Han pointed out the window at two very bright objects.

"Two more Star Destroyers, and they're heading right at us."

"I'm glad you said there was going to be no problem," Leia commented with more than a touch of sarcasm, "or I'd be worried."

"Han, we may have a problem." Dawn said. She had traced one set of problems to the hyperdrive.

Han Solo shot her a threatening glance. "Not now, Dawn."

Still struggling with the controls to keep the Millennium Falcon on course, the pilot turned to the Wookiee. "Chewie, how's the deflector shield holding up?"

The copilot adjusted an overhead switch and barked a reply that Solo interpreted as positive.

"Good," said Han. "At sublight, they may be faster, but we can still out-maneuver them. Hold on!" Suddenly the Corellian shifted his ship's course.

The two Imperial Star Destroyers had come almost within firing range of the Falcon as they loomed ahead; the pursuing TIE fighters and the Avenger were also dangerously close. Han felt he had no choice but to take the Falcon into a ninety-degree dive.

Leia, Aurora and Chewbacca felt their stomachs leap into their throats as the Falcon executed its steep dive. Aurora looked at her mother and noted the look of peace on it.

Dawn noted Aurora's look and smiled, "On Earth there is thrill ride called a rollercoaster. I always found them to be quite fun. Besides years of Jedi training has helped to ease situations such as this. I don't become as nauseous as I once did."

"That slowed them down a bit!" Han exulted. "Chewie, stand by to make the jump to lightspeed." There was not a moment to waste -the laser attack was intense now, and the TIE fighters were almost on top of them.

"They're very close," Leia warned, finally able to speak.

Han looked at her with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Oh, yeah? Watch this."

He threw the hyperspace throttle forward, desperate to escape, but also eager to impress the princess with both his own cleverness and his ship's fantastic power. Nothing happened! The stars that should by then have been mere blurs of light were still. Something was definitely wrong.

"Watch what?" Leia asked impatiently.

Instead of responding, Han worked the lightspeed controls a second time. Again, nothing. "I think we're in trouble," he muttered.

Dawn sighs, "Han as I was saying earlier. We have a problem as you just found out. The entire main para-light system has been damaged."

Chewbacca threw back his head and let out a loud and miserable wail.

"We're in trouble!" Han repeated.

All around them, the laser attack had increased violently. The Millennium Falcon could only continue at its maximum sublight velocity as it moved deeper into space, closely followed by a swarm of TIE fighters and one gigantic Imperial Star Destroyer.

THE double sets of wings on Luke Skywalker's X-wing fighter were pulled together to form one wing as the small, sleek craft streaked away from the planet of snow and ice. Next to him flew Buffy's Prometheus fighter.

Artoo, still snug in his specially designed socket, began to whistle and beep.

The miniature computer installed in Luke's ship for translating the droid's language flashed the small droid's message onto a control panel viewscreen.

"There's nothing wrong, Artoo," Luke replied after reading the translation. "I'm just setting a new course."

The small droid beeped excitedly, and Luke turned to read the updated printout on the viewscreen.

"No," Luke replied, "we're not going to regroup with the others."

This news startled Artoo, who immediately emitted a series of galvanic noises.

Buffy laughed over the comlink, "Artoo. We're going to see Master Yoda in the Dagobah system."

Again the robot beeped, calculating the amount of fuel carried by the X-wing.

"We have enough power." Luke said.

The little droid fell silent. Luke was making a few minor adjustments on the controls when Artoo chirped up again.

"Yes, Artoo," sighed Luke.

This time the droid made a series of soft noises, selecting each beep and whistle carefully. He did not want to annoy Luke, but the findings on his computer were important enough to report.

"Yes, Artoo, I know the Dagobah system doesn't appear on any of our navigational charts. But don't worry. It's there." Luke replied.

"Artoo," came Buffy over the comlink. "Trust me I know where we're going. Master Yoda gave me the coordinates just before Dawn and I went into exile. And I gave them to Luke."

The next whistle rose questioningly in pitch.

"No, that's all right, Artoo. I'd rather keep it on manual control for a while."

Han Solo was desperate now. The Falcon had still not been able to shrug off the four TIE fighters or the enormous Star Destroyer that pursued it.

Solo raced down to the ship's hold and began to work frantically on repairing the malfunctioning hyperdrive unit. It was all but impossible to carry out the delicate repair work necessary while the Falcon shook with each blast of flak from the fighters.

Han snapped orders at his copilot, who checked the mechanisms as he was commanded. "Horizontal booster."

The Wookiee barked. It looked fine to him.

"Alluvial damper."

Another bark. That part was also in place.

"Chewie, get me the hydrospanners."

Chewbacca rushed over to the pit with the tools. Han grabbed the spanners, then paused and looked at his faithful Wookiee friend.

"I don't know how we're going to get out of this one," he confided.

Just then a resounding thump hit the Falcon's side, making the ship pitch and turn radically.

Chewbacca barked anxiously.

Han braced himself at the impact, the hydrospanners flew from his hand. When he managed to regain his balance, he shouted at Chewbacca over the noise, "That was no laser blast! Something hit us!"

"Han... Han ..." Dawn called to him from the cockpit. "Get up here!"

Like a shot, he lurched out of the hold and raced back to the cockpit with Chewbacca. They were stunned by what they saw through the windows.

"Asteroids!" Dawn said.

Enormous chunks of flying rock hurtled through space as far as they could see. As if those damn Imperial pursuit ships weren't trouble enough!

Dawn stood and switched with Han who instantly returned to his pilot's seat, once more taking over the Falcon's controls. His copilot switched with Aurora and settled himself back into his own seat just as a particularly large asteroid sped by the prow of the ship.

Han felt he had to stay as calm as possible; otherwise they might not last more than a few moments. "Chewie," he ordered, "set two-seven-one."

Leia gasped. She knew what Han's order meant and was stunned by so reckless a plan. "You're not thinking of heading into the asteroid field?" she asked, hoping she had misunderstood his command.

"Don't worry, they won't follow us through this!" he shouted with glee.

Dawn laughed, "Just as crazy as Jacen."

Aurora looked at Dawn, "You mean Dad was just like that?"

Dawn nods, "Some of his harebrained schemes during the clone wars nearly cost us at times."

Han laughs, "That sounds just like, Dad."

Princess Leia scowled. "You don't have to do this to impress me," she said, as the Falcon was pummeled hard by another asteroid.

Han was enjoying himself enormously and chose to ignore her insinuations. "Hang on, sweetheart," he laughed, grasping the controls more tightly. "We're gonna do some flyin'."

Leia winced and, resigned, buckled herself firmly into her seat.

Dawn closed her eyes and reached out into the force. "I will try and shift the smaller ones out of the way. But you will still have to dodge the bigger ones." Suddenly a small asteroid that was hurdling straight at them, suddenly flew off to the side.

Han simply nodded as he concentrated only on carrying out his plan. Flying more on instinct than on instruments, he steered his ship through the relentless rain of stone. Glancing quickly at his scanner screens, he saw that the TIE fighters and the Avenger had not yet abandoned the chase. It would be an Imperial funeral, he thought, as he maneuvered the Falcon through the asteroid hail.

Two gigantic asteroids hurtled toward the Millennium Falcon. Its pilot quickly made a daring banking maneuver that brought it skirring out of the path of those two asteroids, nearly to collide with a third.

As the Falcon darted in and out of the asteroid field, it was followed closely by three Imperial TIE fighters that veered through the rocks in hot pursuit. Suddenly one of the three was fatally scraped by a shapeless chunk of rock and spun off in another direction, hopelessly out of control. The other two TIE fighters continued their chase, accompanied by the Star Destroyer Avenger, which was blasting speeding asteroids in its path.

Dawn rested her hand on Aurora's shoulder, while the bond she shared with Buffy was not there. She felt the Force flowing through her daughter.

Han Solo glimpsed the pursuing ships through the windows of his cockpit as he spun his craft around, speeding under yet another oncoming asteroid, then bringing the freighter back to its right-side-up position. But the Millennium Falcon was not yet out of danger. Asteroids were still streaking past the freighter. A small one bounced off the ship with a loud, reverberating clang, terrifying Chewbacca and causing See Threepio to cover his eye lenses with a bronzed hand.

Han glanced at Leia and saw that she was sitting stone-faced as she stared at the swarm of asteroids. It looked to him as if she wished she were thousands of miles away.

"Well," he remarked, "you said you wanted to be around when I was wrong."

Leia didn't look at him. "I take it back."

"That Star Destroyer is slowing down," Han announced, checking his computer readings.

"Good," Leia replied shortly.

The view outside the cockpit was still thick with racing asteroids. "We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer," Han observed.

"I'm against that," Leia remarked dryly.

"We've got to get out of this shower." Han said.

Dawn smiled, "Han up ahead, a large one. Be perfect."

"That makes sense." Leia replied.

Han looked up at Dawn and noticed her eyes were still closed. Then he looked out ahead of him and nodded. Dawn was right the large one up ahead would be perfect to hide in.

"I'm going to get in closer to one of the big ones," Han added.

That did not make sense.

"Closer!" Leia repeated in disbelief.

Chewbacca stared at his pilot in amazement and barked.

Aurora looked at Dawn, "Mom are you sure that's a wise idea?"

Dawn smiled as she opened her eyes, "Yes."

Aurora, Leia and Chewie could understand why their captain, who had risked his life to save them all, would now try to get them killed! Or why Dawn was agreeing with the plan. Making a few simple adjustments on the cockpit controls, Han swerved the Millennium Falcon between a few larger asteroids, then aimed the craft directly at one the size of a moon.

With expert precision, Han Solo steered his ship toward still another giant asteroid, the largest one they had yet encountered. He maneuvered the Falcon so that the only object between it and the TIE fighters was the deadly floating rock.

There was only a brief, brilliant flare of light, then nothing. The shattered remains of the two TIE fighters drifted away into the darkness and the tremendous asteroid - undeflected in its course - continued on its way.

Han felt an inner glow as bright as the spectacle that had just lighted up the view. He smiled to himself in quiet triumph.

Then he noticed an image on the main scope of his control console and nudged his hairy copilot. "There." Han pointed to the image. "Chewie, get a reading on that. Looks pretty good."

"What is it?" Leia asked.

The Falcon's pilot ignored her question. "That should do nicely," he said.

As they flew near the asteroid's surface, Han looked down at the craggy terrain, his eye caught by a shadowy area that looked like a crater of mammoth proportions.

Dawn saw where Han was heading and nodded, "Your right that should do nicely."

Han lowered the Falcon to surface level and flew it directly into the crater, its bowl-like walls suddenly rising up around his ship.

And still two TIE fighters chased after him, firing their laser cannons and attempting to mimic his every maneuver.

Han Solo knew he had to be trickier and more daring if he was to lose the deadly pursuit ships. Spotting a narrow chasm through his windscreen, he banked the Millennium Falcon to one side. The ship soared sideways through the high-walled rocky trench.

Unexpectedly the two TIE fighters followed. One of them even sparked as it grazed the walls with its metal hull.

Twisting, banking, and turning his ship, Han pressed through the narrow gorge. From behind, the black sky flared as the two TIE fighters crashed against one another, then exploded against the rocky ground.

Slowing his ship, Han coursed into the cave entrance and through a large tunnel, which he hoped would make the ideal hiding place. He took a deep breath as his ship was promptly devoured by the cave's shadows.

A tiny X-wing and Prometheus fighter was approaching the atmosphere of the Dagobah planet.

As he neared the planet, Luke Skywalker was able to glimpse a portion of its curved surface through a heavy cover of thick clouds. The planet was uncharted and virtually unknown. Somehow Luke had made his way there, though he wasn't certain whether it was his hand alone that had guided his ship into this unexplored sector of space.

Artoo Detoo, riding in the back of Luke's X-wing, scanned the passing stars, then addressed his remarks to Luke via the computer scope.

Luke read the viewscreen interpreter. "Yes, that's Dagobah, Artoo," he answered the little robot, then glanced out the cockpit window as the fighter ship began to descend toward the planet's surface. "Looks a little grim, doesn't it?"

"Looks can be deceiving, Luke." Buffy replied over the comlink. "Willow I'm taking over."

Willow looked over her shoulder and nodded as Buffy took control of the fighter from the aft seat.

Artoo beeped, attempting for one last time to get his master back on a more sensible course.

"No," Luke replied, "I don't want to change my mind about this." He checked the ship's monitors and began to feel a bit nervous. "I'm not picking up any cities or technology. Massive life-form readings, though. There's something alive down there."

"That's because Master Yoda is the only person down there." Buffy replied.

Artoo was worried, too, and that was translated as an apprehensive inquiry.

"Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids. Will you take it easy?" Luke was beginning to get annoyed. "We'll just have to see what happens."

He heard a pathetic electronic whimper from the rear of the cockpit.

"Don't worry!"

Buffy watched as the X-wing sailed through the twilight halo separating pitch black space from the planet's surface.

He couldn't see a thing. His vision was entirely obstructed by the dense whiteness pressing against the canopy windows of his ship. His only choice was to control his X- wing solely by instruments. But the scopes weren't registering anything, even as Luke flew ever nearer to the planet. Desperately he worked his controls, no longer able to discern even so much as his altitude.

When an alarm began to buzz, Artoo joined its clarion call with his own frantic series of whistles and beeps.

"I know, I know!" Luke shouted, still fighting the controls of his ship. "All the scopes are dead! I can't see a thing. Hang on, I'm going to start the landing cycle. Let's just hope there's something underneath us."

Artoo squealed again, but his sounds were effectively drowned by the ear-splitting blast of the X-wing's retrorockets. Luke felt his stomach plunge as the ship began to drop rapidly. He braced against his pilot's seat, steeling himself for any possible impact. Then the ship lunged and Luke heard an awful sound as if the limbs of trees were being snapped off by his speeding craft.

When the X-wing finally screeched to a halt, it was with a tremendous jolt that nearly flung its pilot through the cockpit window. Certain, at last, that he was on the ground, Luke slumped back in his chair and sighed with relief. "Aunt Buffy I am down."

Buffy smiled, "Acknowledged Luke." She stretched out her feelings and smiled knowing Luke had landed in the swamp instead of on the ground. She let the Force guide her to a landing spot. On solid ground near Luke's downed ship.

Luke pulled a switch that lifted his ship's canopy. When he raised his head outside the ship to get his first look at the alien world, Luke Skywalker gasped.

The X-wing was completely surrounded by mists, its bright landing lights not illuminating more than a few feet in front of it. Luke's eyes gradually began to grow accustomed to the gloom all around him so that he could just barely see the twisted trunks and roots of grotesque-looking trees. He pulled himself out of the cockpit as Artoo detached his stout body from its cubbyhole plug.

"Artoo," Luke said, "you stay put while I look around and try and find Aunt Buffy and Willow."

The enormous gray trees had gnarled and intertwining roots that rose far above Luke before they joined to form trunks. He tilted back his head and could see the branches, high above, that seemed to form a canopy with the low-hanging clouds. Luke cautiously climbed out onto the long nose of his ship and saw that he had crash-landed in a small, fog-shrouded body of water.

Artoo emitted a short beep - then there was a loud splash, followed by silence. Luke turned just in time to glimpse the droid's domed topside as it disappeared beneath the water's foggy surface.

"Artoo! Artoo!" Luke called. He kneeled down on the smooth hull of the ship and leaned forward, anxiously searching for his mechanical friend.

Suddenly Artoo rose out of the water and floated towards Buffy on land. She set the droid down next to her. "Come on Luke get your stuff."

"Artoo," Luke yelled, running to him, "are you okay?"

Feebly the robot replied with a series of faint whistles and beeps.

"If you're saying coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you," Luke admitted, looking around at their dismal surroundings.

Buffy smiled, "Come we must setup camp. Willow if you don't mind getting our supplies from the Prometheus."

Willow nodded, "Of course, Buffy."

Buffy smiled, "When were in the company of Master Yoda, you will have to start calling me Master again."

"I know." Willow replied.

Willow, Buffy and Luke observed that the sky had grown noticeably darker while they unloaded their supplies and set up camp. Shadows loomed ominously all around them and the distant cries didn't seem quite so far away anymore. Suddenly, Luke noticed a pair of tiny but vicious eyes winking at them through the shadowy underbrush, then vanishing with a scutter of diminutive feet.

He hesitated to doubt the advice of Obi-Wan Kenobi or Aunt Buffy, but now he was beginning to wonder if they had somehow made a mistake leading him to this planet with its mysterious Jedi teacher.

He looked over at his X-wing and groaned when he saw that the entire bottom section was completely submerged in the dark waters. "How are we going to get that thing flying again?" The whole set of circumstances seemed hopeless and somewhat ridiculous. "What are we doing here?" he moaned.

Buffy smiled, "Don't worry I am sure Master Yoda will have an idea of how to get it out." Buffy could do it she knew, but she felt that Yoda could use it to become one of Luke's lessons.

"It's like part of a dream," Luke said. He shook his head, feeling cold and frightened. "Or maybe I'm going crazy."

Buffy laughed as she looked at Willow, "What about you Will?"

Willow shook her head, "Definitely not crazy and definitely not a dream."

At least, he knew for certain, he couldn't have gotten himself into a crazier situation.

DARTH Vader looked like a great silent god as he stood on the main control deck of his mammoth Star Destroyer.

He was staring through the large rectangular window above the deck at the raging field of asteroids that was pelting his ship as it glided through space. Hundreds of rocks streaked past the windows. Some collided with one another and exploded in brilliant displays of vivid light.

"Now what is so important it couldn't wait, Admiral?" he asked imperiously. "Speak up!"

The admiral's face turned pale with fear, his trembling voice shaking almost as much as his body. "It was ... the Emperor."

"The Emperor?" the voice behind the black breath mask repeated.

"Yes," the admiral replied. "He commands you make contact with him."

"Move this ship out of the asteroid field," Vader ordered, "into a position where we can send a clear transmission."

"Yes, my lord."

"And code the signal to my private chamber."

The Millennium Falcon had come to rest hidden in the small cave which was pitch black and dripping with moisture. The Falcon's crew turned down its engines until no sound at all was emitted from the small craft.

Inside the cockpit, Han Solo and his shaggy copilot were just completing shutting down the ship's electronic systems. As they did so, all the service lights dimmed and the interior of the ship became nearly as dark as its sheltering cave.

Han glanced over at Leia and flashed her a quick grin. "Getting kind of romantic in here."

Dawn shook her head, "Really Han."

Chewbacca growled.

Irritated, Han returned to his work. "What are you so grouchy about?" he snapped.

Before the Wookiee could respond, the protocol droid timidly approached Han and posed a question of burning importance. "Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, but does shutting down all except emergency power systems include me?"

Chewbacca expressed his opinion with a resounding bark of affirmation, but Han disagreed. "No," he said, "we're going to need you to talk to the old Falcon here and find out what happened to our hyperdrive." He looked over at the princess and added, "How are you with a macrofuser, Your Holiness?"

Before Leia could get off a suitable retort, the Millennium Falcon lurched forward as a sudden impact struck its hull. Everything that was not bolted down flew through the cockpit; even the giant Wookiee, howling boisterously, had to struggle to stay in his chair.

"Hang on!" Han yelled. "Watch out!"

See Threepio clattered against a wall, then collected himself. "Sir, it's very possible this asteroid is not stable."

Han glared at him. "I'm glad you're here to tell us these things."

The ship rocked once more, even more violently than before.

Dawn shook her head, "Han now is not the time for sarcasm. The longer were in here the more likely they will find us. We need to get the Falcon fixed.

Han saw the old familiar expression of arrogance beginning to return to her face. "You don't look angry," he lied.

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful," he answered truthfully, with an emotion that surprised him.

Dawn looked at Aurora and shook her head. "Like father, like son. That was the way your dad was when I first met him. But I managed to sand down the rough edges."

Aurora laughed, "I bet you did, mom."

Han couldn't let the tender moment last. "And excited," he had to add.

Dawn frowned, "Han Solo!"

Leia became infuriated, she quickly moved away from Han. "Sorry, Captain," she said, her cheeks now reddened in anger, "being held by you isn't enough to get me excited." She turned to Aurora, "Your brother could use some instruction on how to treat a lady."

Aurora laughed, "He does alright around me. But of course I'm his sister."

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Well, I hope you don't expect more," Han grunted, angrier at himself than at her stinging words.

"I don't expect anything," Leia said indignantly, "except to be left alone."

"If you'll just get out of my way, I'll leave you alone." Han replied.

Leia nods, "Don't you think it's time we got to work on your ship?"

Han frowned. "Fine with me," he said coldly, not looking at her.

Leia quickly turned on her heel and left the cockpit.

For a moment Han stood there quietly, just gathering his composure. Sheepishly he looked at the now quiet Wookiee and droid, then at his sister and Dawn, all of whom had witnessed the entire incident.

"Come on, Chewie, let's tear into this flying short circuit," he said quickly to end the awkward moment.

The copilot barked in agreement, then joined his captain as they began to leave the cockpit. As they walked out, Han looked back at Threepio, who was still standing in the dim chamber looking dumbfounded. "You too, goldenrod!"

"I must admit," the robot muttered to himself as he began to shuffle out of the cockpit, "there are times I don't understand human behavior."

Dawn laughed as she and Aurora followed Threepio out of the cockpit. "There are times even we humans don't understand human behavior."

On Dagobah It was now so dark that Luke, and Willow could scarcely see in front of them. Buffy was glad she still had her Slayer powers as she could see just fine. Out in the dense jungle they heard a sharp snapping noise. Luke grabbed his pistol, he prepared to blast anything that leaped from the jungle to attack them. But nothing did, and he clipped his weapon back onto its holster and continued to unpack his gear.

"You ready for some power?" Luke asked Artoo, who was patiently waiting for his own form of nourishment. Luke took a small fusion furnace from an equipment box and ignited it, and then took a power cable and attached it to Artoo through a protuberance that roughly resembled a nose. As power radiated through Artoo's electronic innards, the stout robot whistled his appreciation.

Luke sat down and opened a container of processed food. Buffy and Willow sat next to him and opened similar containers. As they began to eat, Luke talked to his companions. "Now all I have to do is find this Yoda, if he even exists."

Buffy shakes her head, "He exists, Luke. I should know. I was Master Yoda's Padawan."

Luke looked around nervously at the shadows in the jungle and felt frightened, miserable, and increasingly in doubt about his quest. "This certainly seems like a strange place to find a Jedi Master."

"That's because Master Yoda is in exile much like Dawn and I were." Buffy replied. "He chose this planet because he knew the Emperor would more than likely not find him here."

From the sound of his beep, it was clear Artoo shared Luke's opinion of the swamp world.

"Although," Luke continued as he reluctantly tasted more of the food, "there's something familiar about this place. I feel like-"

"You feel like what?"

Luke leaped up, grabbed his pistol, just as Willow leaped up also igniting her lightsaber. Buffy simply sat there smiling, knowing who was there. Luke and Willow spun around, peering into the gloom to try to find the source of those words.

As they turned they saw a tiny creature standing directly in front of them. Luke immediately stepped back in surprise; this little being seemed to have materialized out of nowhere!

Willow looked at the tiny creature recognizing it from the last time she saw it. She deactivated her lightsaber and sat next to Buffy.

For the moment, Luke could not decide whether to be frightened or to laugh. But when he gazed into those bulbous eyes and sensed the being's kindly nature, he relaxed. At last the creature motioned toward the pistol in Luke's hand.

"Away put your weapon. I mean you no harm,"' it said. He looked to Buffy and Willow and instantly they knew not to reveal to Luke just yet that this was Yoda. "As your friends have already discovered."

Luke looked back at Buffy and Willow and noticed they were sitting there eating again. After some hesitation, Luke quietly put his pistol back into his belt.

"I am wondering," the creature spoke again, "why are you three here?"

We're looking for someone," Luke answered.

"Looking? Looking?" the creature repeated curiously with a wide smile beginning to crease his already-lined face. "You've found someone I'd say. Heh? Yes!"

Buffy fought to keep from laughing. This was a side of Yoda she had rarely seen when she was his Padawan.

Luke had to force himself not to smile. "Yeah."

"Help you all I can ... yes ... yes."

"I don't think so," Luke replied gently. "You see, I'm looking for a great warrior."

"A great warrior?" The creature shook his head, the whitish hair flopping about his pointed ears. "Wars don't make one great."

Buffy nods, "Our little friend is correct, Luke. Wars don't make one great."

They saw the tiny hominid hobble over to the top of the salvaged supply cases. Shocked, he watched as the creature began to rummage through the articles Luke had brought with him from Hoth.

Buffy smiled knowing that Yoda was simply testing Luke, patience.

"Get away from there," Luke said, surprised at this sudden strange behavior.

The strange being grabbed the container holding the remains of Luke's food and took a bite.

"Hey, that's my dinner!" Luke exclaimed.

Willow shook her head, "Luke we can share."

But no sooner had the creature taken his first bite than he spat out what he had tasted, his deeply lined face wrinkling like a prune. "Peewh!" he said, spitting. "Thank you, no. How get you so big eating food of this kind?" He looked Luke up and down. And for appearance sake he looked both Buffy and Willow up and down.

Buffy saw the twinkle in Yoda's eyes. That told her he was enjoying the banter.

The creature flipped the food container in Luke's direction, then dipped one of his small and delicate hands into another supply case.

"Listen, friend," Luke said, watching this bizarre scavenger, "we didn't mean to land here. And if I could get my fighter out of this puddle I would, but I can't. So-"

"Can't get your ship out? Have you tried? Have you tried?" the creature goaded.

Buffy smiled at Luke, "He is right Luke, did you try?"

Luke's case had attracted the creature's interest. Luke finally reached the end of his patience when he saw the crazy little being snatch something out of the supply case. Knowing that survival depended on those supplies, he grabbed for the case. But the creature held on to his prize - a miniature power lamp that he gripped tightly in his blue-skinned hand. The little light came alive in the creature's hand, throwing its radiance up into his delighted face, and he immediately began to examine his treasure.

"Give me that!" Luke cried.

The creature retreated from the approaching youth like a petulant child. "Mine! Mine! Or I'll help you not."

Still clutching the lamp to his breast, the creature stepped backward, inadvertently bumping into Artoo-Detoo. Luke approached.

"We don't want your help," Luke said indignantly. 'I want my lamp back. I'll need it in this slimy mudhole."

Luke instantly realized he had issued an insult.

"Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is!"

As they argued, Artoo slowly reached out a mechanical arm. Suddenly his appendage grabbed the pilfered lamp and immediately the two little figures were engaged in a tug-of-war over the stolen prize. As they spun about in battle, Artoo beeped a few electronic, 'give me that's.

"Mine, mine. Give it back," the creature cried. Abruptly, though, he seemed to give up the bizarre struggle and lightly poked the droid with one bluish finger.

Buffy looked at Artoo, "Artoo give it back."

Artoo emitted a loud, startled squeal and immediately released the power lamp.

The victor grinned at the glowing object in his tiny hands, gleefully repeating, "Mine, mine."

Luke was about fed up with these antics and advised the robot that the battle was over. "Okay, Artoo," he said with a sigh, "let him have it. Now get out of here, little fellow. We've got things to do."

"No, no!" the creature pleaded excitedly. "I'll stay and help you find your friend."

"We're not looking for a friend," Luke said. "We're looking for a Jedi Master."

"Oh," the creature's eyes widened as he spoke, "a Jedi Master. Different altogether. Yoda, you seek, Yoda."

"You know him?" Luke replied.

"Of course, yes," the creature said proudly. "I'll take you to him. But first we must eat. Good food. Come, come."

With that, the creature scurried out of the camp and into the shadows of the swamp. The tiny power lamp he carried was gradually dimming in the distance as Luke stood feeling baffled. Buffy and Willow stood and followed Yoda. At first Luke had no intention of pursuing the creature, but then he noticed Buffy and Willow going to follow him and decided he to would go.

As Luke started off into the jungle, he heard Artoo whistling and beeping as if he would blow his circuits. Luke turned around to see the little droid standing forlornly next to the miniature fission furnace.

Somehow Luke, Aurora, and Buffy managed to squeeze inside the miniature house, where everything within was perfectly scaled to its tiny resident. Luke sat cross-legged on the dried mud floor in the living room, careful not to bang his skull against the low ceiling. There was a table in front of him and he could see a few containers holding what appeared to be hand-written scrolls. He looked over to Buffy who was quiet obviously meditating.

Willow sat next to Luke her eyes on Yoda.

The wrinkle-faced creature was in his kitchen, next to the living room, busily concocting an incredible meal. From where Luke and Willow sat they could see the little cook stirring steaming pots, chopping this, shredding that, scattering herbs over all, and scurrying back and forth to put platters on the table in front of the youth.

Fascinated as he was by this bustling activity, Luke was growing very impatient. As the creature made one of his frantic runs into the living room area, Luke reminded his host, "I told you, I'm not hungry."

Willow rolled her eyes, "Patience."

"Patience," the creature repeated, as he scuttled back into the steamy kitchen. "It's time to eat."

Luke tried to be polite. "Look," he said, "it smells good. I'm sure it's delicious. But I don't know why we can't see Yoda now."

"It's the Jedi's time to eat, too," the creature answered. His eyes looking to Willow and Buffy. He thought to himself that Buffy had lived up to her promise to him to take the training she had received from him and use it to train Willow.

Luke was eager to be on his way. "Will it take long to get there? How far is he?"

"Not far, not far. Be patient. Soon you will see him. Why wish you become a Jedi?"

"Because of my father and my aunts, I guess," Luke answered. At one time he would have have said his father. But since he had come to know Buffy and Dawn he knew it was just as much because of them as it was because of his father.

Luke noticed the curious look in the creature's eyes as he mentioned his father. "Oh, your father and your aunts," the being said, sitting down to begin his vast meal. "Powerful Jedi were they. Powerful Jedi."

Luke wondered if the creature were mocking him. "How could you know my father or my aunts?" he asked a little angrily. "You don't even know who I am." He glanced around at the bizarre room and shook his head. "I don't know what I'm doing here."

"No good is this," the creature was saying irritably. "This will not do. I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience!"

Willow watched Yoda knowing full well who he was talking to. Not to her, Buffy or even Luke. But to the unseen visitor, the Force Ghost – Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Buffy opened her eyes smiling.

Luke's head spun in the direction the creature was facing. Cannot teach. No patience. Bewildered, he still saw no one there. Then the truth of the situation gradually became as plain to him as the deep lines on the little creature's face. Already he was being tested - and by none other than Yoda himself! He looked to Buffy and Willow and saw them smiling at him. They had known all along this was Yoda.

From the empty corner of the room, Luke heard the gentle, wise voice of Ben Kenobi responding to Yoda. "He will learn patience," Obi-Wan said.

"Much anger in him," the dwarfish Jedi teacher persisted. "Like in his father."

"We've discussed this before," Kenobi said.

Luke could no longer wait. "I can be a Jedi," he interrupted. "I'm ready, Ben ... Ben ..."

"Ready are you?" the skeptical Yoda asked. "What know you of ready? I have trained Jedi for eight hundred years. My own counsel I'll keep on who is to be trained."

Buffy frowns, "Master Yoda!" She knew it was not only his counsel but that of the entire Jedi Council, of which there were only three left.

Yoda looked to Buffy he nodded indicating to her he had a plan.

"Why not me?" Luke asked, insulted by Yoda's insinuation.

"To become a Jedi," Yoda said gravely, "takes the deepest commitment, the most serious mind."

"He can do it," Ben's voice said in defense of the youth.

Buffy nodded in agreement.

Looking toward the invisible Kenobi, Yoda pointed at Luke. "This one I have watched a long time. All his life has he looked away... to the horizon, to the sky, to the future. Never his mind on where he was, on what he was doing. Adventure, excitement." Yoda shot a glaring look at Luke. "A Jedi craves not these things!"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Dawn and I were no different. Remember for a while we searched for a way to go home."

Luke tried to defend his past. "I have followed my feelings."

"You are reckless!" the Jedi Master shouted.

Buffy sighed, "So was I if you remember."

"He will learn," came the soothing voice of Kenobi.

Buffy nods in agreement, "I have to agree with Obi-Wan, Master Yoda. He will learn."

"He's too old," Yoda argued. "Yes. Too old, too set in his ways to start the training."

Buffy sighed, "So were Dawn and I. And Master Yoda if you remember right, I became your Padawan at the age of 22. A year older than what Luke is now."

Luke thought he heard a subtle softening in Yoda's voice. Perhaps there was still a chance to sway him. "I've learned much," Luke said. He couldn't give up now. He had come too far, endured too much, lost too much for that.

Yoda seemed to look right through Luke as he spoke those words, as if trying to determine how much he had learned. He turned to the invisible Kenobi again. "Will he finish what he begins?" Yoda asked.

"We've come this far," was the answer.

Buffy nods, "He will finish, of that I am sure."

"I will not fail you," Luke said to both Yoda and Obi-Wan. "I'm not afraid." And, indeed, at that moment, the young Skywalker felt he could face anyone without fear.

But Yoda was not so optimistic. "You will be, my young one," he warned. The Jedi Master turned slowly to face Luke as a strange little smile appeared on his face. "Heh. You will be."

Buffy smiled, "So that's what you were waiting on, Master Yoda. Despite the Council's decision?"

Yoda nods, "Yes." He turns to Willow and Buffy, "And what of your Padawan?"

Buffy looked at Willow and smiled, "She is ready for her Trials. There is no more that I can teach her."

Willow looked at Buffy, shocked. This was not what she had expected. "What?"

Yoda nods, "Obi-Wan agree do you?"

"Yes, I do. I have watched Willow since she, Buffy and Dawn returned to us. She will make a fine Jedi. She is indeed ready for her trials." Obi-Wan replied.

Yoda looked to Buffy, "As Dawn is not here you hold her vote in absentia."

Buffy nods, "Dawn and I talked before we parted ways. She agrees that Willow is ready."

"Then unanimous the decision is." Yoda said turning back to Willow. "Your Trials you will undertake."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Folks please review. Reviewing will inspire me to write more and quicker. The less reviews I get the slower I go. Besides I'm tired of getting no reviews. Chapter 3 got none. If you truly enjoy the story and want me to update quickly please review.


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